College Tennis News - Christian/Santamaria Back In ITA Final To Defend Title

FLUSHING, N.Y. - USC's dynamic doubles duo of Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria are all set up to defend their unprecedented ITA National Indoor Doubles Championship. The Trojan tandem is right back where they first made an early name for themselves last season - the title match of the prestigious early season tournament in New York. Christian/Santamaria will play for the 2012 crown tomorrow (Nov. 11) after a smooth straight-set win in today's semifinals.

In 2011, Christian and Santamaria combined to become the only USC doubles team ever to win an ITA National Indoor Championships. Since then, the pair has also won the 2012 Pac-12 Doubles Championship and most recently the 2012 ITA/Riveria All-American Doubles championship. Tomorrow, the Trojans go for their fourth major title together as they look to defend their 2011 title at the event.

In order to get in position for the crown, top-seeded Christian/Santamaria had to beat out Alabama's #17 Guarachi/Macfarlane in today's semifinals. The Trojans were well up to the task, tacking up a 6-2, 6-3 win over the Crimson Tide pair. That puts Christian/Santamaria up against Virginia's Nauta/Xi tomorrow in the championship match.

In doubles consolation play, another pair of Women of Troy will face a different Virginia pairing. USC's Gabriella DeSimone and Zoe Scandalis posted an 8-3 win today in consolation action and will face UVA's Epstein/Vierra tomorrow.

Complete USC results from New York are below.

2012 ITA NATIONAL INDOOR INTERCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center • Flushing, N.Y.

DOUBLES
Round of 32 - Nov. 8
[1] #1 Christian/Santamaria (USC) -- bye
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) def. Filipovski/Krtickova (AAS) -- 8-3
#49 Lao/Pulido (USC) -- bye

Round of 16 - Nov. 8
[1] #1 Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. Tan/Tsay (STAN) -- 8-4
Enrique/Vickers (TULSA) def. DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) -- 8-4
[2] #34 Boren/Szekely (TENN) def. #49 Lao/Pulido (USC) -- 8-3

Quarterfinals - Nov. 9
[1] #1 Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. Dai/Kay (UNC) -- 8-3

Semifinals - Nov. 10
[1] #1 Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. #17 Guarachi/Macfarlane (ALA) - 6-2, 6-3

Championship - Nov. 11
[1] #1 Christian/Santamaria (USC) vs. Nauta/Xi (UVA)

DOUBLES CONSOLATION
Nov. 9
Latycheva/Eskenazi (PENN) def. #49 Lao/Pulido (USC) -- 8-3
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) def. [1] Kopinski/White (ILL) -- 8-5
Nov. 10
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) def. Sanon/Takenaga (COL) - 8-3
Nov. 11
DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) vs. Epstein/Vierra (UVA)

SINGLES
Round of 32 - Nov. 8
#8 Sabrina Santamaria (USC) def. Gina Suarez-Malaguti (UNC) -- 6-0, 7-5
#18 Brynn Boren (TENN) def. [3] #7 Zoë Scandalis (USC) -- 6-1, 6-2
#11 Danielle Lao (USC) def. [2] #4 Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar (TAMU) -- 6-1, 6-2

Round of 16 - Nov. 9
#8 Sabrina Santamaria (USC) def. [7] #10 Mary Anne Macfarlane (ALA) -- 6-1, 6-1
#22 Anett Schutting (CAL) def. #11 Danielle Lao (USC) -- 7-6 (6), 7-5

Quarterfinals - Nov. 9
#5 Zsofi Susanyi (CAL) def. #8 Sabrina Santamaria (USC) -- 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

SINGLES CONSOLATION
Nov. 8
Nicole Bartnik (COL) def. [2] #7 Zoë Scandalis (USC) -- 6-4, 6-4